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| China frees Mongol dissident detained for nearly 20 years | China frees Mongol dissident detained for nearly 20 years |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| China has freed one of its longest-serving political prisoners, the ethnic Mongol dissident Hada, who has spent much of the last two decades behind bars. | China has freed one of its longest-serving political prisoners, the ethnic Mongol dissident Hada, who has spent much of the last two decades behind bars. |
| Hada’s uncle, Haschuluu, said the dissident’s younger brother had told him of the release, and Hada was not in good health. | |
| Hada was tried behind closed doors in 1996 and jailed for 15 years for separatism, spying and supporting the Southern Mongolian Democratic Alliance, which sought greater rights for China’s ethnic Mongols. He says the charges were trumped up. | Hada was tried behind closed doors in 1996 and jailed for 15 years for separatism, spying and supporting the Southern Mongolian Democratic Alliance, which sought greater rights for China’s ethnic Mongols. He says the charges were trumped up. |
| After being released in December 2010, he had to serve a separate sentence of four years of “deprivation of political rights”, mostly in an illegal detention centre in the northern region of Inner Mongolia, his family says. | After being released in December 2010, he had to serve a separate sentence of four years of “deprivation of political rights”, mostly in an illegal detention centre in the northern region of Inner Mongolia, his family says. |
| Hada’s wife, Xinna, who lives in the Inner Mongolian capital, Hohhot, and their son, Uiles, have also been in and out of detention over the past few years. Xinna has complained about her husband’s poor treatment and said authorities pressured him to divorce her in exchange for an early release. | Hada’s wife, Xinna, who lives in the Inner Mongolian capital, Hohhot, and their son, Uiles, have also been in and out of detention over the past few years. Xinna has complained about her husband’s poor treatment and said authorities pressured him to divorce her in exchange for an early release. |
| Beijing fears ethnic unrest in strategic border areas and keeps a tight rein on Inner Mongolia, just as it does on Tibet and Xinjiang in the far west, even though the region is supposed to have a large measure of autonomy. | Beijing fears ethnic unrest in strategic border areas and keeps a tight rein on Inner Mongolia, just as it does on Tibet and Xinjiang in the far west, even though the region is supposed to have a large measure of autonomy. |
| Amnesty International considered Hada a prisoner of conscience and has previously expressed concerns about his wellbeing, as have the United States and European Union. | Amnesty International considered Hada a prisoner of conscience and has previously expressed concerns about his wellbeing, as have the United States and European Union. |
| Patrick Poon, a China researcher at Amnesty International in Hong Kong, said Hada’s release was a positive sign but he was likely to remain closely watched. “Although he will have more freedom of movement now he’s been released, the whole family might be subject to a certain amount of surveillance,” Poon said. | Patrick Poon, a China researcher at Amnesty International in Hong Kong, said Hada’s release was a positive sign but he was likely to remain closely watched. “Although he will have more freedom of movement now he’s been released, the whole family might be subject to a certain amount of surveillance,” Poon said. |
| Decades of migration by Han Chinese have left Mongols a minority in their own land. They make up less than a fifth of Inner Mongolia’s population of almost 24 million. | Decades of migration by Han Chinese have left Mongols a minority in their own land. They make up less than a fifth of Inner Mongolia’s population of almost 24 million. |
| In 2011 the Mongol community held demonstrations demanding better protection of their rights and traditions, spurred by the death of a Mongol herder who had been protesting against pollution from a coalmine. | In 2011 the Mongol community held demonstrations demanding better protection of their rights and traditions, spurred by the death of a Mongol herder who had been protesting against pollution from a coalmine. |